DE 100 24 703 A1 has disclosed a fuel injection valve in the case of which the valve needle is, in a central section, guided with very little play in the pressure chamber. To permit a passage of fuel, lateral ground portions are provided on the valve needle. In the case of such a structural form, the components, in particular the valve needle and the pressure chamber, must be machined in a very precise manner, which leads to increased production costs, because the machining of the inner side of a bore always involves great effort. Precise guidance of the valve needle is sought to achieve high accuracy in the dosing of the fuel and a symmetrical atomization of the fuel. Furthermore, precise guidance of the valve needle reduces the wear on the valve seat.